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Recommended Websites for K-12 Educators

East Asia

  • Asia for Educators


    This site from Columbia University offers an on-line curriculum about East Asia including lectures, discussion questions, handouts and supplementary materials.

  • Ask Asia


    An online 'clearinghouse' for materials pertaining to Asian Studies. Be sure to see their instructional resources at http:// www.askasia.org/ teachers/ Instructional_Resources/ index.htm including a unit on the Silk Road.

  • Resources and Publications of the East Asian Studies Center at Indiana University


    Lesson plans and curriculum guides for all levels of instruction can be downloaded. Be sure to see their “Central Themes: Outline for Units on on Japan, ” their “Chinese Holidays and Festivals,” and their “Korea in East Asian and World History: A Guide for Teachers.”

  • Curriculum Units from Yale-New Haven-Yale Teachers Institute


    Hundreds of teaching units on many themes including English, History, Social Studies, the Languages, the Arts, Mathematics, and Science are organized alphabetically here.

  • Internet East Asian Sourcebook


    Images, texts and other information about China, Korea and Japan from Fordham University can be used for educational purposes.

  • Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE)


    SPICE offers exciting lesson plans for sale such as one on the Silk Road. Check out their free samples on Japanese castle towns and Chinese picture brides to preview the quality.

  • Intercultural E-mail Classroom Connections


    Created by St. Olaf College, this website helps teachers and classes find partners in other countries / cultures for e-mail or pen pal projects.

  • Maps of Asia


    Maps are mainly produced by the US Central Intelligence Agency of China (and parts of it), Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore.

  • History/Social Studies Web Site for K-12 Teachers: Non-Western History


    This website offers annotated links to educational sites dealing with topics other than European and American ones selected by the Social Studies School Service.

  • Asian Educational Media Service


    This service reviews videos, film and other media about Asia. Their curriculum units suitable for secondary classes are worth using.

China

  • China Search Engine


    This website from the University of Texas at Austin offers annotated links to information on Chinese history and culture, economy and politics, nature and mankind, and more.

  • Internet Guide to Chinese Studies


    An annotated listing maintained by the Institute of Chinese Studies, Heidelberg University of websites on all aspects of Chinese culture from economics to art.

  • CIA Factbook: China


    This site from the Central Intelligence Agency offers a good overview of China.

  • History of China


    This site from the University of Maryland offers a succinct overview of this complex topic plus a timeline.

  • Teachers Guide to Chinese Geography


    This site offers maps, readings on agriculture, transportation, etc. and a listing of links.

  • China the Beautiful


    Links to information on classical Chinese art, calligraphy, poetry, history, literature, painting and philosophy are found here. Be sure to see their pages on the Chinese New Years.

  • Daily Life in Ancient China


    Written for junior high students in accessible language and typeface, with a quiz at the end, but no images. Offers some links to further sites.

  • The Silk Road Foundation


    This site offers many fine resources including maps, pictures and biographies associated with trade between China and the west over the centuries.

  • Folk Tales from China


    The ten tales written out here form part of a collection of stories from around the world.

  • A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization


    10. For a teacher friendly unit on China see "A Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization"

Japan

  • National Clearinghouse for U.S. - Japan Studies


    This site offers many resources for the K-12 teacher including lesson plans and links to other educational sites for teachers

  • Yale Center for International and Area Studies: Japan Lessons


    This 36-page guide to teaching about the geography, food and culture of Japan is written for elementary and middle schools, but would be useful at all levels especially if planning an international foods day.

  • Japan Information Network


    Official site sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers a wealth of data including the latest statistics, maps, addresses, a virtual museum, synopsis of trends, and more. It also provides links to the best sites for finding factual information about Japan.

  • Japan Studies Leadership Program


    This site from the Five College Center for East Asian Studies offers many lesson plans, links to websites and other recommended materials for the K-12 teacher.

  • Japan Links


    Interesting selection of links on Japanese culture, especially language and education.

  • The Japanese Garden


    This site from Bowdoin College offers a comprehensive guide to the materials, history and meaning of gardening in Japan. The extensive links provide further information.

  • Kids Web Japan


    Details the sites that are most popular among school-age Japanese Internet users including sports, games, culture, school, daily life, industry, nature and climate, politics, and more. Check out the animation under the entertainment category.

  • CIA Factbook:


    This site from the Central Intelligence Agency offers a good overview of Japan.

  • U.S.-Japan Links


    This site from the National Association of Japan-America Societies offers a wealth of links for educators and students.

  • Joseph Wu's Origami Page


    Excellent starting point for web resources on origami as an art and science.

Korea

  • The Korea Society


    Scroll down this homepage till the subheading “On-line Publications.” Click on “Teaching More About Korea” for 32 lesson plans for elementary and secondary teachers that you can download.

  • Korea Web Weekly


    An independent, non-partisan website offers another look on all things Korean: history, culture, economy, politics and military policies.

  • Life in Korea


    Life in Korea takes an in-depth look at different aspects of Korean culture, society, and customs. for a better understanding of the Korean people and their language.

  • CIA Factbook: South Korea


    This site from the Central Intelligence Agency offers an overview of South Korea.

  • CIA Factbook: North Korea


    This site from the Central Intelligence Agency offers an overview of North Korea.

  • Korea in East Asian and World History


    This site feature information about Korea from Columbia University designed for the secondary schoolteacher. Information, maps, timelines and further resources are featured.

  • Korea Net


    The official site of the Republic of Korea offers stories, recipes, statistics and even links to learning Korean online.

  • Experience Korean Culture


    Explore Korea with lesson plans, kids pages, and attitude.

  • Korean History Project: "Korea in the Eye of the Tiger"


    This online history of Korea offers much information.

  • Korean Enigma


    NASA's Classroom of the Future (COTF) module about Korean history offers short summaries and maps.